Going the Distance
by ViolaViolette
Summary: After rescuing a female meerkat from the gorge, Timon and Pumbaa are determined to help her return home, even though her colony resides in the Outlands. Meanwhile, a lion from the time of Mufasa's reign watches the trio, planning on using them in his plot to Simba's downfall.
1. Chapter 1: The Rescue

**Chapter One**

"Get down here right now, young lion!"

A young, dark-furred lion cub grinned at the meerkat from the top of the tree. "No way, Timon! This is awesome!" the cub exclaimed, leaping from branch to branch. A strong gust of wind buffeted through the branches, ruffling the little lion's growing black mane. "Yahoo!"

"I'm counting to three!" Timon warned, holding up three fingers, annoyance clear in his tone. "One..."

The defiant young cub continued to climb the tree, paying no attention to his caretaker. His claws dug into the bark of the tree, scoring long marks on the trunk. His blue eyes were bold and determined as he ascended the tree, not taking his gaze off the tips of the branches.

"Imara," Pumbaa said, worry in his tone, "you could get hurt! Come down!"

Timon climbed onto the warthog's back, sliding down his snout and leaning against one of his companion's tusks. "I'm telling ya, Pumbaa, this kid is just like his grandfather when he was a cub." Raising his voice so the young lion could hear him, he raised a second finger. "Two..."

Imara continued to ignore the meerkat and warthog. He took a daring leap to a higher branch, kicking up with his hind legs to steady himself. Once all four of his feet were steady on the branch, he continued to the next branch.

"Don't make me say _three, _Imara!" Timon threateningly raised a third finger. "C'mon, kid! Your mother's gonna be worried sick!"

"Come on, Imara!" Pumbaa called, trying to give as much assistance to Timon as he could. "It's unsafe up there!"

At this moment, Imara's paw slipped from one of the branches. He let out a grunt of effort as he struggled to pull himself on top of the branch, when it suddenly snapped underneath him. He let out a gasp of surprise, his paws churning in the air as he fell to the ground.

"Kiara's gonna kill us!" Timon exclaimed melodramatically, his back turned to the tree, unaware of the slipping cub. He slapped a paw to his forehead. "Oy... I can already feel my bones crunching."

"Imara!" Pumbaa yelled, rushing forward to get underneath the cub as he fell. Timon was thrown over his accomplice's shoulders, and he skidded to a stop after rolling into a rock beside the gorge.

Pumbaa leapt forward, and the young cub landed on his back, completely unharmed. He bounced to his feet immediately. "Woohoo! That was awesome, Pumbaa! Can we go again? _Please?_" Imara begged, his tufted tail flicking with excitement.

"No!" The duo exclaimed in unison as Timon shakily got to his feet, dusting off his fur.  
>"Sorry, kid, but it's time we headed back to Pride Rock." He climbed onto Pumbaa's back as Imara trotted over. "And from now on, no more tree climbing." He leaned closer to Pumbaa's ear, adding quietly, "At least not while <em>we're <em>the ones responsible for watching him."

Imara looked downcast as his ears lowered to his head. "Okay," he murmured sadly, flicking a tuft of black fur out of his face. His paws sagged as they turned their backs on the gorge.  
>Suddenly, the young cub's ears perked. "Timon, do you hear that?"<p>

"Kid, enough games. It's time for us to head home."

"No, really! I think I heard something coming from the gorge!" Imara exclaimed, beginning to turn back.

"Wait, wait, wait. Hold on a second," Timon said, tugging on one of Pumbaa's ears. The warthog stepped in front of the lion cub's path and the meerkat slipped off his companion's back, leaning against his leg. "It's probably just the herds moving."

The rumble of a stampede echoed through the gorge, proving Timon's point. "See?" the meerkat said, jabbing a thumb in the direction of the gorge. "Nothing to worry about. The wildebeest move all the time."

"Not unless something startles them! That's what my dad says!" Imara said, peering around the warthog's shoulder.

"Gee, Timon, don't you think we should look, just in case? What if someone really _does _need help?" Pumbaa pointed out.

"Hmm... what if someone really _does _need help?" Timon said, stealing Pumbaa's words and logic, as was the norm. Pumbaa looked a bit disgruntled as Timon turned to Imara. "Fine, we'll take a look, but _you_ have to stay put," Timon ordered. Imara sighed, but obliged, sitting down where he was told.

Timon and Pumbaa cautiously approached the edge of the gorge. A large stampede was taking place, but as the meerkat and warthog scanned the land below, they didn't spot any lions, hyenas or predators of any sort. Timon began to turn back to the lion cub. "See, kid? Nothing to worry about."

"Timon! Look!" Pumbaa exclaimed suddenly, pointing a hoof. Timon followed his gaze, surprised at what his eyes found.  
>A meerkat was clinging to a ledge above the stampede, yelling for help. The stampeding wildebeest kicked up stones and dust as they hurried through the gorge, striking the helpless meerkat's back with stray pebbles.<p>

"C'mon, Pumbaa! Let's go!" Timon yelled, leaping onto his partner's back.

"Go? You mean, into the gorge?" Pumbaa asked with caution in his tone.

"I'm not gonna watch one of my own kind get trampled to death!" Timon declared, grabbing onto Pumbaa's ears. "Stay where you are, kid!" the meerkat yelled over his shoulder. Imara seemed worried, but nodded and stayed sitting as the duo began to make their way down the side of the gorge.

"Careful now, Pumbaa," Timon warned as the warthog picked his way through the boulders and hopped from ledge to ledge. "Wait, watch out for that-"  
>A rock slid down the ledge, catching Pumbaa's hoof and sending him off balance. He tumbled down the side of the gorge, causing Timon to go flying over the warthog's head. He landed on a ledge just above the stampeding wildebeest.<br>"... Rock..." Timon finished, pulling himself to his feet with a groan. "Pumbaa? Where are ya, pal?" Timon yelled over the echo of hooves. "Pumbaa!"

"Right here, Timon!" Pumbaa called, leaping over to the meerkat's ledge. "Do you see him?"

Timon scanned the moving mammals, climbing onto Pumbaa's shoulders to get a better look. He placed a paw over his eyes to block the sunlight from his view. "Over there!" He pointed to the struggling meerkat, who seemed to be clinging to the ledge by his fingertips. "Let's move, Pumbaa!"

The warthog leapt down from the ledge with Timon on his shoulders, rushing through the stampede with determination. The duo wove through the crowd of wildebeest, avoiding their quick hooves and strong legs. Timon struggled to stand on his friend's head to get a better look of their surroundings. "I lost him, Pumbaa!"

"Straight ahead!" Pumbaa informed his companion, moving to the side to get closer to the ledge. Timon lifted his head, noticing the meerkat beginning to slip.

"Speed it up, Pumbaa!"

As the warthog took up speed, Timon came to a sudden realization: this meerkat was not a male, but indeed a _female_. She had a small, feminine figure and dark brown eyes, wide and full of fear at the moment. Her fur was a darker brown than Timon's, and she had black stripes on her back. Her paws scrambled for the ledge, but she quickly lost her grip.

Just as she fell, Pumbaa and Timon got underneath her ledge, and she fell onto the warthog's back. Timon grabbed her arm to keep her from falling. Before either of them could manage a word, a rock went flying into Timon's chest. He hit the ground hard and became disoriented as he landed among the stampeding wildebeest. He got to his feet quickly, slipping to the side to avoid a hoof and ducking another. "Pumbaa!" Timon yelped, placing his paws over his head in an attempt to protect himself.

The warthog quickly came into view, the female meerkat leading him towards Timon. "There he is!" she informed him. Pumbaa narrowly dodged several wildebeest, stooping next to Timon.

"Who's the hero here?" Timon demanded as the meerkat grabbed his paw, hoisting him onto Pumbaa's shoulders.

"We'll call it a team effort," the female meerkat responded with a smirk.

Timon steadied himself on his companion's shoulders. "Let's go, Pumbaa!"

The warthog ducked another wildebeest as it leaped over him. He skidded to the side and continued dodging the oncoming animals until they reached the edge of the gorge. Leaping onto the lowest ledge, Pumbaa got his bearings and climbed up the side of the ravine. Imara glanced over the edge of the gorge, his eyes wide with worry.

The female meerkat didn't notice the young cub, but Timon yelled, "Get away from the edge, kid!" The lion nodded and backed away as the warthog pulled himself over the edge of the gorge, the two meerkats sliding off of his shoulders.

Pumbaa fell onto his side, gasping for breath, and two meerkats collapsed onto their backs, hearts racing.

"Timon, Pumbaa! Are you guys okay?" Imara asked worriedly, standing over Timon.

Timon nodded weakly, and the female meerkat beside him began to panic. "... L-lion!" she screeched, grabbing Timon's arm and yanking him to his feet, getting ready to run.  
>She began to run, but Timon stopped her, placing a paw on her shoulder. "This little guy isn't gonna hurt ya, isn't that right, Imara?"<p>

"Right," the male cub said with a nod, stepping away from the meerkats.

"See? Nothing to be scared of," Timon assured her. The female did not look entirely convinced, but she relaxed a bit.

"Are you okay, miss?" Pumbaa asked kindly, trotting over to the meerkats.

She nodded. "I'm fine, now. Thank you, both of you. You took quite a risk."

"Well, now that the whole ordeal is over, we can finally head back to Pride Rock," said Timon.

"Pride Rock?" The female's eyes widened. "You live in the Pridelands?"

"Well, we're not Outlanders, that's for sure," Timon said with a shudder. "Why?"

"I didn't realize I had come so far..."

Pumbaa looked a bit confused. "Where are you from?" the warthog asked.

"Just beyond the Outlands," she said.

"Beyond the Outlands?" Imara asked. "Cool!"

The female meerkat tensed. "It may sound _cool, _but trust me, it's quite the opposite. It's dangerous. The whole area is crawling with hyenas, as well as lions exiled from their prides."

"Aw, come on. Meerkats aren't the only animals in their diet. It can't be _that _bad," Timon said, leaning against Pumbaa's leg.

"Out there, meerkats are the _only _source of food. There are so many predators that all other animals moved out long ago."

"Well, didn't you leave? More importantly, why didn't the predators leave?" Timon questioned, crossing his arms.

"They have a ruler. A king, if you will. He's the strongest lion; he rules the Outlands as well as my homeland."

"What's the name of your homeland?" Pumbaa asked.

"Why name it? It's basically an extended territory of the Outlands..." The female meerkat looked towards the Outlands as she spoke, her eyes tired. "I have to go back."

"What? Go back?" Timon exclaimed, throwing his arms in the air.

"You've come all this way! Why not live with us at Pride Rock?" Pumbaa asked.

"I appreciate the offer, I really do, but I can't abandon my family. I'm the sentry."

"You're the sentry of that forsaken place?" Timon cried. "Why would you want to stay?"

"It's not that I _want _to. I _need _to. There are young meerkats, barely old enough to stand alone. They wouldn't last five seconds out of the ground, in the open. When they're older, maybe, but even then it would be nearly impossible to leave."

"You left," Imara pointed out.

"I was chased."

Everyone was quiet for a while, Timon and Pumbaa searching for more questions to ask. Finally, Pumbaa spoke. "What's your name?"

"Adia."

"Well, Adia, my name's Pumbaa!" the warthog said with an excited smile. "This is Timon, and this is Imara, the princess's son." He looked at Timon, then looked back at Adia. "We're going to help you get home."

Timon's eyes widened. "Pumbaa, are you _nuts?" _he yelled. Seeing Adia's look of dismay, he motioned for his friend to step aside with him so they could chat privately.

"Come on, Timon!" Pumbaa murmured. "She has to get home to her colony! Are you going to let her family be killed?"

Timon grabbed the warthog's tusks. "Look, Pumbaa, there's three of us and _who knows _how many predators out there! We'll be walking _steaks_ for those carnivores!"

"What if Simba or Kovu came with us? I'm sure Simba wouldn't reject someone in need!" Pumbaa said.

Timon considered this. "You've got a point there, pal." He glanced up at the darkening sky. "How about we bring her to Pride Rock tonight and get everything straightened out tomorrow morning?"

"Good idea, Timon!"

The duo turned back to Adia, who was eyeing Imara warily. "Alright, miss Adia," Timon said, "we can help, but we're going to need someone else to come with us. We'll head for the Outlands tomorrow morning, hopefully with a lion to escort us."

"For now, we'll take you back to Pride Rock to meet the king!" Pumbaa said happily.

The female meerkat tensed at the mention of lions, but nodded stiffly. "O-okay." _I'll do anything to get back to my family, _she thought. "I must warn you, it's a long journey. At least three days, but closer to six if you take caution."

Timon dismissed her warning with a wave of his paw as he slid onto Pumbaa's shoulders. "_Hakuna matata, _Adia. We'll get you home in time."

* * *

><p>"Whaddaya mean<em>, <em>you won't help us get her home?" Timon exclaimed.

Simba sighed. "I'm really sorry, Timon, but the Outlands are dangerous, even for a lion. Besides, with Imara so young, we need as much protection in the Pridelands as possible." He looked at the meerkat and warthog apologetically, a frown on his face.

"Well, this is splendid!" Timon said, sarcasm heavy in his tone as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"It is?" Pumbaa asked, confused.

Timon slapped a paw to his forehead. "_Sarcasm, _Pumbaa, I was using _sarcasm._"

"Oh."

The meerkat sighed melodramatically. "C'mon, Simba! I thought we were pals!"

"Timon, I've already made my decision," said Simba. "Your friend is welcome to live on Pride Rock with us as long as she needs."

Pumbaa looked at Timon, waiting for a reaction. His companion sighed, leading Pumbaa out of the cave. "Thanks, Simba," he grumbled.

"Gee, Timon, you seem really disappointed that you can't help," Pumbaa noted.

"Yeah, well, we've done all we can do," the meerkat responded, jumping onto the warthog's snout and leaning back. He folded his paws behind his head and closed his eyes.

Pumbaa looked at Timon inquisitively, but said nothing. Timon opened one eye. "Something wrong, Pumbaa?"

"Well, Timon, you really had a change of heart. At first you didn't want to help Adia, but then you seemed really upset that you couldn't do more to help," Pumbaa began.

"Are you trying to get at something?"

"Well..." Pumbaa ventured, "I was kind of wondering if you... _like _Adia."

Both of Timon's eyes shot wide open. "You've gotta be kidding me, Pumbaa!" he exclaimed. "You don't see me acting like a mook over some girl, do ya?"

"Well, no, but-"

"There! End of story," Timon quipped, leaning back to rest on his friend's snout.

"But, Timon... don't you get lonely?"

The meerkat hesitated a moment before responding to his accomplice's question. "Nah, Pumbaa, how could I get lonely when I've got my best friend at my side?" he responded, almost evading the question entirely. He patted the warthog's snout reassuringly.

"I'm not talking about _me_," said Pumbaa.

Timon leapt off of his companion, placing his paws on his hips. Pumbaa stopped in his tracks as the meerkat said, "Look, pal, I've got everything I've ever wanted! A life free of worry, a best friend to share it with..."

"But you don't have a _girl _to share it with," Pumbaa pointed out.

"You just don't give up, do you?" The meerkat sighed.

Timon's accomplice pointed to Adia with his snout. The dark furred meerkat was standing at the edge of Pride Rock, enjoying the sight of the beautiful Pridelands. She sighed longingly, perhaps wishing that the lands were her own. As she looked towards the Outlands, she seemed to be repulsed by the comparison of the two territories, as one was lush and full of life, while the other was shadowed by cliffs and almost barren. She folded her paws behind her back, looking away from the deplorable sight.  
>"Look how sad she is, Timon!" Pumbaa said morosely, his voice full of sympathy for the small meerkat. "Her family can barely survive out there."<p>

The male meerkat let out a long breath. "Well, sure, I feel bad for her, but-"

"I bet she could use someone else in her life, just like you," Pumbaa said.

"What are you, a matchmaker?"

Pumbaa turned to Timon with a look of sadness, his eyes wide and doleful. The meerkat groaned loudly, smacking his palm to his forehead. "Alright, alright! I'll _think _about it," he said, hoping this would put off the warthog's hopes.

As Pumbaa opened his mouth to reply, Adia came up to the duo, eyes hopeful. "What did the king say?" she asked.

Timon and Pumbaa exchanged glances, unsure of how to tell her the hard news.

"Um... you see, Adia-" Pumbaa began.

"_We _would be happy to escort you ourselves," Timon said, winking at Pumbaa, hinting at him not to tell Adia what Simba really told them.

"But Simba said-" Pumbaa started. Timon elbowed him in the side, getting the warthog the message. "-we're the only ones for the job!" he finished, winking at Timon.

Adia lifted an eyebrow. "You two?" she asked, the slightest hint of disbelief in her tone.

"Something wrong, _miss?_" Timon asked, drawing out the word 'miss,' as if to show Pumbaa he was attempting to be a gentleman. As he looked towards the warthog, he gave the meerkat a small nod of approval.

"No, no, of course not," Adia said, quickly covering up for herself. "Anyway, when can we leave?"

"As soon as you're ready," Timon responded, motioning towards the Outlands with a sweeping motion of his paw. Adia followed his gaze, but instead of looking towards the Outlands, her gaze rested on the Pridelands, and the vast herds of animals.

"I hate to leave this place," she admitted. "It's really beautiful..." she finally looked towards the Outlands, and her face became hard and determined, "... but my colony needs me." She looked at Timon, then to Pumbaa. "I'm ready now."

"Then we're off!" Timon announced, climbing onto Pumbaa's back. He offered Adia a paw, pulling her up beside him. She smiled, and the male meerkat took up the warthog's ears. "Let's go, Pumbaa!"

* * *

><p><strong><span>AN: **_And so begins the story "Going the Distance." I would really appreciate feedback on Timon and Pumbaa (please tell me if I could be doing better to keep them in character). This is my first _Lion King _fanfic, and hopefully, it won't be my last.  
><em>

_Also, the name "Adia" is Swahili, meaning "Gift."  
><em>

_Please R&R! _

**~ ViolaViolette  
>February 27, 2012 <strong>


	2. Chapter 2: The Outlands

**A/N: **_Thanks to_ Ronnie343_ for reviewing this story! I would really appreciate some more feedback, especially on Timon and Pumbaa and if I'm keeping them well in-character, considering this is my first Lion King fanfic. Here's chapter two, please R&R!_

**~ ViolaViolette  
>March 01, 2012 <strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Two<strong>

As the trio approached the edge of the Outlands, Timon suppressed a shudder. The last time he had been anywhere _near _the Outlands was during the fight between Kiara and Zira, which had ended in the death of the evil lioness, although Kiara tried to save her life at the last few moments. Ever since, the Pridelanders and former Outlanders felt no need to approach the ghastly, desolate area, and that included himself and Pumbaa.

The male meerkat glanced towards Adia, who seemed just as disgruntled as they entered the shadowed territory. Pumbaa trotted forward cautiously, sending a few glances over his should every few minutes to check for danger. Timon looked around, beginning to feel slight regret about offering himself as an escort for Adia. If they were attacked, they would surely have no chance without a lion to protect them.

The cliffs loomed above the small group, casting dark shadows over them as they passed through. Dead trees and animal skeletons littered the ground, and thick roots had entwined themselves through the boulders and dying plants.

Adia shuddered as they passed a zebra's skeleton, briskly averting her eyes. "You never get used to this place," she whispered, her tone barely audible.

"No surprise there," Timon said with a slight shiver, sending Adia a questioning glance. "How long has your colony lived 'round here, anyway?"

"For as long as I can remember," the dark-furred meerkat responded, managing a half-hearted smile. "It's always been a hard life. There have been days when we couldn't even get outside of our tunnels because the predators were so near."

"Uh, Timon?" Pumbaa said, stopping dead in his tracks.

"Don't interrupt, Pumbaa. We're in the middle of a conversation, here!" Timon quipped, sliding off his accomplice's shoulders. He marched right up to him, leaning against his snout. He whispered, "C'mon, Pumbaa. Wasn't it _you _who wanted me to talk to the lady?" He pointed a thumb in Adia's direction.

She did not hear Timon's talk with Pumbaa, for she had looked up to see what the warthog had been so concerned about. Adia gasped, slipped off of his shoulders and slid down his snout, landing in front of the male meerkat. "Look!" she exclaimed, pointing.

Two hungry looking lions slunk towards the group, unsheathing long curved claws. Their eyes were dark, focused in on their targets.

Timon swallowed nervously, his voice quaking as he let out a flustered chuckle. "Heh... heh..."

"What have we here?" The first lion mused, his graying tail and mane ratty and torn. He stepped up to Adia, who had jumped off of the warthog's snout.  
>"This looks like the little <em>scrap <em>we missed earlier, isn't that right, Ajabu?" the lion murmured, sniffing the female meerkat in discontent.

"I believe you're right, Erevu," the second lion responded, his reddish mane and pelt unkempt and covered in a layer of soot. His dull, gray eyes revealed an unsatisfied, intense hunger as he sent a dark glare towards the petite female. His claws clicked against the hard ground, and he bared his teeth in a snarl. "It's not the first time she's escaped us, either."

The first lion, Erevu, narrowed his eyes at the female meerkat, his face barely an inch from her nose. He opened his jaws, prepared to strike, when Adia felt a tug on her arm. She was pulled away from the lion, and soon she, Timon and Pumbaa were running through the dark territory.

"You were right about the carnivores!" Timon exclaimed, sprinting as fast as his legs could carry him. Pumbaa hurried ahead of the two, as his stride was much longer than the meerkats'.

Adia didn't respond, just continued running. She heard Ajabu and Erevu right on her heels, snapping at her feet.

"_AH!_"

Timon lifted his head to see Pumbaa's leg caught in one of the many roots that wove themselves between the boulders. "Hold on, buddy, I'll get you outta there!" As he went to free his best friend from the vine, Adia tripped on a stone and went flying into the male meerkat, causing them to roll down a small hill behind the trapped warthog. They found themselves in an awkward position, Timon lying on top of the female's chest, one arm on either side of her.

"Timon!" Pumbaa yelled desperately.

Both of the meerkats stumbled to their feet, Timon running up the small dip in the earth, the moment earlier put completely out of mind. Timon immediately went to the warthog's aid, and the two vengeful lions backed Adia up to a boulder.

"You won't escape this time, Scrap," Ajabu snarled. He swiped at the meerkat, his claws missing their intended mark. She ducked a second swing, but the second lion pinned her with his paws, his claws pricking her shoulders. She let out a quiet gasp of pain, her green eyes wide with fear.

"No where to run now," Erevu hissed. Adia turned her head to the side as the lion raised his paw, ready to strike down. Suddenly, the female meerkat was released from the strong hold of Erevu's paw.

Pumbaa had been freed from the vine and charged the lion, Timon on his shoulders. The lion snarled in anger, stumbling into Ajabu. The witty meerkat pulled Adia onto the warthog's back, and soon the group was in motion once again.

"Which way?" Pumbaa asked, panicked.

Adia looked behind them, seeing Erevu and Ajabu only several feet behind them, and closing. She moved her gaze to the land ahead. Seeing an old, tipping tree on the edge of their path, she replied, "Keep going straight! I've got a plan."

Pumbaa happily obliged, keeping a straight course. Timon swung around several times to check the lions' distance. As they approached the tree, Adia told the male meerkat, "Tell Pumbaa to circle back after we pass that tree!"

Before Timon could manage a response, Adia had jumped off the warthog's back, landing in the tree's limp bows. The old tree creaked, and a few branches fell. She slipped down the trunk, planting a firm kick at the base of the tree. Because the roots had dried and broken away and the trunk was beginning to erode, the tree moved easily, landing right on top of Erevu, holding the lion firmly on the ground with its old trunk.

Ajabu paused behind the fallen tree, contemplating whether he should help his companion or pursue the meerkat. Before he had made a decision, Pumbaa and Timon had circled back to the female meerkat as requested. She leapt onto the warthog's back, and soon they were sprinting for their lives once again.

Timon looked over at Adia like she was crazy, and in a sense, she was. "Are you _nuts?_" he exclaimed, his eyes wide in bewilderment.

The female meerkat managed a grin, despite the dangerous situation. "Something you'll learn about me," she said, "is that I'm a risk taker."

"I just think you're crazy!" Timon quipped, staring at her in disbelief.

Adia smirked coyly, telling Pumbaa, "Take a right past that cliff!" The warthog nodded, and Adia threw a glance over her shoulder. She was startled to see that Ajabu had decided to continue chase the trio, rather than assist his hunting companion.

Timon followed Adia's gaze. When he laid eyes on the persistent lion, he yelled, "Full speed ahead, Pumbaa!"

The warthog continued at full pace, leaping over boulders and weaving through dead trees and roots. He ducked a low branch, which caught Timon off-guard. He was knocked off of his partner's shoulders, rolling as he hit the ground.

"Oy..." he groaned, sitting up slowly. His eyes widened with fear as Ajabu came into view, hunger in his eyes. The meerkat scrambled to his feet.

"Such a shame your _friends _can't stay for dinner," Ajabu hissed, unsheathing his long, curved claws. He bared his teeth in a silent snarl, revealing his sharp, pointed canines. He lunged.

Timon squeezed his eyes shut as he was tossed to the ground, pinned down with Ajabu's paws. The starving lion lifted his other paw, poised to strike a death blow, when a large branch caught him in the face. He stumbled backwards, losing his grip on Timon.

Pumbaa let out a snort of satisfaction, and Adia dropped the branch. "C'mon, Timon!" she called.

The meerkat, slightly discombobulated, stumbled forward. Pumbaa lowered his snout, and Timon climbed on. Adia pointed Pumbaa in the correct direction, and they were off.

"Are you alright, Timon?" Adia asked.

"Yeah... thanks," he responded, placing a paw behind his head.

"Which way, Adia?" Pumbaa asked, stumbling to a halt at a fork in their path.

"Take a left," she responded snippily, throwing hasty glances over her shoulder. Ajabu had stood, shaking his head to clear his foggy mind. He took off after the group.  
>Adia gulped loudly as they approached a ravine, the river below roaring loudly. Pumbaa noticed the edge at the last second, scrambling backwards to avoid the dangerous fall. Below, the deep running river meandered through the cliffs, rapids raging.<p>

"Is there a way for us to go around?" Pumbaa asked quickly, glancing back at Adia.

The female meerkat shook her head briefly. "No. We have to go straight across, which is much easier said than done."

"No kidding!" Timon said, sending a glance towards Adia. "I thought you said this was the _right_ way to go!"

"We must have taken a wrong turn," Adia quipped, her green eyes furious, "between the lion chase and me saving your sorry behind!"

Timon swung around to face the female meerkat, ready to throw back a hasty retort, when Pumbaa interrupted, "I don't think this is a good time for an argument..."

The meerkats slipped off the warthog's back simultaneously. Timon crossed his arms across his chest, narrowing his eyes at his porcine pal. "And why not?" he demanded.

"Um... Timon?" Adia placed her paws on Timon's shoulders, swinging the smart-mouthed meerkat around.

Ajabu came to a halt only steps away from the three animals, his eyes tired yet determined. "End of the line," he snarled, a growl emerging from his throat. He crept forward slowly, baring his teeth in a silent snarl.

The three animals backed up to the edge of the cliffs, pebbles shifting under their feet and rolling off the precipice's ledge. Adia threw a glance over her shoulder. Below, the river roared loudly, giving her an idea.

"Jump," she hissed out of the corner of her mouth, her tone only audible to Timon and Pumbaa.

"What?" Timon asked in a hushed whisper, thinking he didn't hear her correctly. He glanced at the petite meerkat out of the corner of his eye.

"I _said, _'jump.'"

Timon gulped loudly, eyes widening as he looked over the cliff's edge. Pumbaa did the same. "I think I'll pass," Timon responded. Pumbaa nodded in agreement.

"Would you prefer being torn to shreds?" Adia hissed.

Ajabu crouched, ready to spring. His claws clacked against the stone beneath his paws, his eyes hungry and weary. The meerkat and warthog did not respond to Adia's question.

"Suit yourselves." The petite female meerkat sucked in a breath and jumped off the cliff with only a moment's hesitation, squeezing her eyes shut as she fell towards the raging river that meandered through cliffs of the Outlands.

"Adia!" Timon shrieked, mostly in surprise that she had _actually_ jumped. Taking one last look at the starving lion before them, he jumped on Pumbaa's shoulders. "Whaddaya say, pal?" he squeaked in a small voice.

Pumbaa looked from Ajabu to the cliff, and back at Ajabu, contemplating his choices. He whispered, "Is there a third option?"

Timon tugged on his accomplice's ears, leading him to the side as Ajabu lunged. "Jump, Pumbaa!"

The warthog shut his eyes, and took a step back. The next thing they knew, they were free falling towards the river below, its rapids rumbling louder than a lion's roar. As Timon opened his mouth to let out a yell, he was engulfed by the river's turbulence, unable to fight its intense currents.


	3. Chapter 3: A Perilous Plot

**A/N: **_Thank you _Pichooi, GlassRose101997, _and_ LittleMeerkatGirl _for reviewing! I'm hoping for some more reviews, otherwise I may not continue this Fanfic because of the seeming lack of interest. Anyway, for now, here's the third chapter! _

**~ ViolaViolette**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Three <strong>

Moments after plunging into the tempestuous rapids, Timon was thrashed around as violently as a crocodile would shake its prey. He struggled for the surface, his lungs burning for air.

As soon as the meerkat broke the surface, opening his mouth to take a breath, he was forced under by another wave of water. Scrambling to get his bearings after being clobbered by the relentless waves, Timon was able to stay above the surface.

"Pumbaa!" he yelled, scanning the river and wiping water out of his eyes in attempt to clear his blurred vision."Adia!"

"Timon!"

The male meerkat swung his head to see Pumbaa swimming toward him, snorting water out of his nostrils. Timon began to swim to his companion, when the warthog disappeared from view after a wave passed before him. The meerkat was plunged into the unyielding rapids before he could take so much as another gasp of breath.

He forced his eyelids open. The water was dark and murky, obscuring his vision. Pumping his arms, Timon swam for the surface once again.

After breaking the surface, Timon realized that the rapids were becoming stronger. "Adia! Pumbaa!" he yelled desperately, using his arms and legs to keep his head above water.

Out of the corner of his eye, Timon noticed a piece of driftwood approaching him. He quickly swam toward it, hoping to use it to keep himself afloat.

On the spur of the moment, Timon noticed a dark, motionless figure lying limply across the dead wood. He squinted at the motionless body, trying to make out what it was. His eyes widened when he realized it was Adia. Her arms draped over one side of the log, her legs dangling in the water. The waves lapped at her already soaking fur, threatening to knock her from the log and drag her beneath the river's surface. The male meerkat paddled toward the unconscious female, struggling to keep his head above the water.

Grasping the log with one arm, he held Adia around the waist to keep her secure. She let out a soft, unconscious groan, limp in Timon's hold. Her head leaned against his chest.  
>The male meerkat began to cough as he scanned the roaring waters for his porcine pal. "Pumbaa," he called, pausing to fill his lungs, "where are ya?"<p>

The warthog was still no where to be seen. Timon bit his lip, continuing to scrutinize the river's rapids for his partner, to no avail. As the river continued to drag the two meerkats downstream, Timon began to search for an easily accessible outcrop, where he would be able to drag himself and Adia to safety. He caught sight of a small bank and released the old driftwood, using one arm to swim toward it and the other to hold onto the unresponsive female.

He hoisted Adia's head above the water as he neared the riverbank, struggling to keep afloat himself. He reached out a paw, digging his fingers into the soft sand. After getting a decent hold, he pulled Adia onto the bank, causing his fingers to slowly slip and lose their grasp. He fell back into the rushing water, leaving Adia's unconscious body on the riverside, alone.

Bursting through the surface and gasping for air, Timon caught sight of Pumbaa once more. The warthog was struggling through the violent rapids, swimming in the male meerkat's direction.

Timon's fingers drifted by an old tree branch, which he quickly clung to. He was about to call out to Pumbaa, when another wave pummeled him, causing him to swallow a lungful of water as he was forced under the water. He came up moments later, gagging and coughing.

Pumbaa lowered his snout as he reached Timon, allowing the meerkat to scramble on. He clutched Pumbaa's ears in his paws, leading him back to the riverbank. "Adia's-" he coughed, "-back there!"

Pumbaa nodded as a response, struggling against the rapids as they headed back upstream. Coughing every now and then, the warthog quickly began to wear out, when they finally reached the riverbank. Timon slid off his accomplice's shoulders, steadying himself on the riverbank before grasping Pumbaa's tusks, heaving his pal onto the soft sand.

Timon collapsed onto his chest, coughing violently in attempt to empty the water from his lungs. Pumbaa groaned in exhaustion, his body racked with convulsions as he coughed. Timon wearily lifted his head, glancing in Adia's direction. Her eyes were closed and her body had remained quiescent.

The witty meerkat placed a paw on her shoulder, shaking her gently in attempt to rouse her. "Adia, you okay?" he croaked, coughing a few more times. "Adia?"

Pumbaa shakily got to his feet and ambled over to the meerkats, a look of concern on his face. "Is she..." he trailed off, "... dead?"

"No, she can't be!" snapped Timon, placing both paws on Adia's shoulders. Her fur was soaking wet, and little beads of water had gathered on her eyelashes. Her dark, reddish-brown hair was mussed and unkempt. Water dripped down the side of her face and down her chin.

"C'mon, lady! Gimme a sign!" Timon demanded, shaking her shoulders expeditiously. She offered no response, not a word nor a sound. He sighed sadly, releasing her shoulders and averting his eyes. "Nothing."

Pumbaa glanced at the motionless meerkat, a look of grief passing over his face. He trotted over to Timon to stand beside him as he continued to shake the female's shoulders. "Adia! C'mon!"  
>The warthog glanced closely at the meerkat. She was breathing, but just barely, and her breaths seemed quick and shallow, as if she were struggling to breathe. Getting an idea, Pumbaa carefully tilted his head toward Adia, sliding a tusk underneath her and flipping her onto her stomach. She immediately began coughing up water, her eyes opening slowly as she struggled to empty her lungs.<p>

After glimpsing briefly at Pumbaa, Timon placed a paw on Adia's shoulder as her body racked with coughs. She took several shaky breaths before settling down on the ground, peering up at the warthog and meerkat. "W-what happened?" she murmured. "Where... where are we?"

"We're on the riverbank," said Pumbaa. "Timon saved your life! You almost drowned!"

The female meerkat looked towards Timon in disbelief. "_You _saved _me?" _Adia's eyes widened. "I obviously missed a lot." Seeing Timon, who seemed as if he were expecting a reward or some appreciation, she smirked. "I guess that makes us even."

"Hmm?" Timon raised a paw to his ear. "Anything else?"

Adia narrowed her eyes. "_Thank you_," she muttered, rolling her eyes and sitting up.

Timon smiled with satisfaction, standing in a proud stature. "_Now _we're even," he informed her. Ignoring Adia's glare, he glanced around the looming cliffs. The sky was beginning to darken, becoming the dark color of cooling embers. The sun was setting slowly, making vision a bit limited. Timon squinted as he tried to determine the group's location.

Adia glanced around as well, her body feeling weak and fatigued as she got to her feet, coughing once and a while. She leaned against Pumbaa's leg to support herself. As the sky darkened, she sighed. "We should find a place to sleep for the night."

Timon nodded in agreement, jumping onto Pumbaa's shoulders. Pumbaa lowered his head once more, allowing Adia to climb onto his back with ease. She settled herself beside Timon, her eyelids drooping with exhaustion.

Timon felt tired himself, but he managed to keep himself awake. He grabbed Pumbaa's ears, leading the warthog along the side of the cliffs to stick to the shadows, concealing the group from any predators that could be lurking around at night. Adia yawned quietly and rested her head in her paws, struggling to stay awake.

Pumbaa glanced at Adia over his shoulder. "You know, Miss Adia, you could get some sleep."

"Yeah," Timon agreed, "we can find a place to stay for the night. We'll wake you up if there's any danger."

"Are you sure?" questioned Adia, trying to stifle a yawn to no avail.

"_Hakuna matata," _Timon responded.

The female meerkat raised an eyebrow. "I've heard you use that expression before... um... a tuna frittata?" she guessed.

"_Hakuna matata," _corrected Timon, "it means 'no worries.'"

"Hmm," Adia said, lying down on Pumbaa's back. "That's an interesting motto." She closed her eyes, pausing a moment before continuing, "You two have pretty carefree lives, don't you?"

Timon and Pumbaa exchanged glances, not responding at first. After a few silent moments, Pumbaa finally said, "Well... we have a different lifestyle than you do," he said, choosing his words carefully.

"So that would be a 'yes,' correct?"

"... Well... sometimes danger threatens the Pridelands, but it's usually handled easily with the lions around," Pumbaa admitted. Glancing at Timon, he continued, "Although, it can get pretty_ lonely _sometimes," he hinted at the male meerkat. Timon sent him a silent glare, which silenced the warthog from continuing any further.

"I know what you mean," the female responded, not opening her eyes. She intertwined her fingers through Pumbaa's thick, tousled mane. "Even if there are others to talk to... sometimes, I just feel like something's missing... I feel..."

"Empty?"

Adia opened her eyes in surprise, looking in Timon's direction. The witty meerkat locked gazes with Adia.

"That's it exactly," Adia murmured, closing her eyes a few moments later, falling into a peaceful sleep. Timon kept a careful eye on her as Pumbaa navigated through the gorge, the female's breathing becoming a soft whisper.

"Look, Timon," Pumbaa said, "a cave!" He picked up his pace, trotting quietly through the shadows as the small crevice in the rock became visible to the meerkat.

"Great, Pumbaa," he praised the warthog. Pumbaa beamed, slipping inside the cave and glancing around, observing the small area. He bent down, allowing Timon to slide down his snout and land on the cold stone ground. Adia snored softly, her fingers tangled in the warthog's dark mane.

"No sense in waking her up," Timon said. Pumbaa nodded in agreement, circling briefly and settling down in the center of the cave. The female meerkat remained in the same state, a slight shiver rocking her shoulders. She curled up on Pumbaa's back, briefly opening her eyes to glance at Timon.

"Good night," Adia murmured, turning onto her side and closing her eyes.

"Sleep tight," Timon replied, leaning against the cave wall, his eyelids closing slowly.

"Dream of bedbugs tonight!" Pumbaa interjected, smiling contentedly before falling into immediate sleep, snoring loudly and obnoxiously.

* * *

><p>"You <em>idiots!<em> You let them get away!"

"I'm sorry, Jela," Ajabu muttered, "it was Erevu's fault."

"What?" Erevu hissed, lifting his injured leg off the ground. "If you hadn't left me behind, we would've stood a better chance-"

"_Silence!" _

Both of the lions fell silent immediately. A dark figure, cloaked by the shadows, narrowed his shocking green eyes at the two lions, his lips curling into a silent snarl.

"You will go back out there and scour the riverside until you find them, whether it takes you two hours or two months!" he snarled. "Those two will be our _last chance _to get to Simba!"

"But Jela," Ajabu said, his brow furrowed, "there is no way they can still be _alive. _They jumped off the gorge, into the river! No animal could survive a drop that high!"

"Are you questioning me, Ajabu?" Jela roared, his long claws scraping against the cold stone. Ajabu jumped backwards, quickly gaining back his composure.

"Not at all, Jela, not at all-" he began.

"Good. Then you will go back out there until you find them."

"And if we don't?" Erevu asked, limping forward.

"You _will _find them, or you will pay for it with your own lives."

Both of the lions gulped simultaneously, running for the cave exit as soon as the words escaped their leader's jaws. Jela chuckled darkly to himself, standing out in the cave entrance, watching the two lions limping for the hills. Erevu looked back once, throwing a hasty glance over his shoulder, but quickly followed Ajabu, who was already half-way to the gorge. Jela's gaze drifted to the Pridelands in the far distance. Smirking, he slunk towards the open, lush grasslands, standing at the border between the two territories. He stood underneath an acacia tree, masking him from the inhabitants of the savanna.

His gaze flickered to Pride Rock. He growled quietly._ Scar, you had the right idea. Simba must be destroyed._ He scowled. _His grandson. He would fight for his grandson to his last breath. _He smirked quietly. "And so he shall."

His green eyes caught sight of flustered feathered wings taking off for the sky. He thought for a moment as he watched the bird, knowing that it struck him as familiar. Suddenly, it hit him... the next step to destroy Simba. It was too obvious, it had been right under his nose. How hadn't he thought of it before?

Mufasa's majordomo, always at his side, always watching over his grandson, Imara, and the entire extent of the Pridelands. He would give him the most valuable intel, the juiciest details. More importantly, he could lead him to the king's friends, Timon and Pumbaa.

He chuckled to himself. "Zazu."


	4. Chapter 4: A Second Chance

**Chapter Four**

The savanna sun began peeking through the clouds as it climbed higher into the skies, the golden glowing orb bathing the grasslands below in a sea of radiant, auspicious light that promised another glorious yet sweltering day. The few wisps of clouds floated away from the sun and climbed higher into the sapphire-blue sky, where an exhausted flying figure began descending from.

The hornbill sighed discontentedly as he perched himself atop a large boulder to take a quick rest stop. He had been flapping his wings for nearly an hour, collecting various complaints and worries from the African savanna, as was his primary job as majordomo. His deep blue feathers trembled as he stretched his wings, then quickly and neatly tucked his feathered appendages away. His brows furrowed as he recalled the ridiculous complaints of the zebras, who fretted that the _semi-aquatic_ hippos were taking over their part of the grasslands, where they grazed each morning. _Foolish creatures, _Zazu thought with slight agitation, _the heat must be getting to their heads. _

Zazu raised a brow as he heard a disturbance past several acacia trees, growing before the boulder he was currently perched on. Curious, he silently lifted his wings and glided to the lowest branch of the nearest tree, concealed by the branches and leaves. His eyes widened in shock as his beady pupils landed on the sight before him.

Three hyenas had encircled and trapped a young bird, and, as she turned her head, Zazu realized her to be a hornbill, like himself. She had royal purple feathers, tipped with darker red and black feathers. She had a small crest of black and red feathers atop her head that curled up at the ends. She was a beautiful bird, but she was quite disgruntled and very distressed, as her feathers were mussed and her eyes wide with fear. Zazu narrowed his eyes. These hyenas hadn't trespassed into the Pride Lands for quite some time, but Shenzi, Banzai and Ed were common enemies of the lions, and were forbidden to enter the grasslands at anytime, as Mufasa himself had banished them many years ago.

Banzai nosed the young hornbill in the stomach, causing her to stumble a bit as the three hyenas forced her into the trunk of an acacia tree. Her back pressed against the thin trunk, Zazu couldn't help but wonder why she didn't fly away. Then he noticed her foot was caught in a vine that wrapped around the tree trunk; the hyenas had caught her.

"Not much of a meal, Shenzi," Banzai noted, his eyes watching the bird hungrily nonetheless.

"Who said anything about a meal? This little bird is perfectly _snack-sized,_" Shenzi responded to her comrade, a grin overtaking her lips. "Right, Ed?"

As usual, Ed merely responded with a twisted laugh and a simple nod. His tongue hung out the side of his jaws as he advanced on the small hornbill. Banzai placed one paw against the female hornbill's wing, pressing it against the tree trunk, raising the other in preparation to strike the killing blow. The purple-feathered bird gasped in pain as his claws dug deep into her feathers. The hornbill closed her eyes, turning her head away from the three predators.

Zazu sucked in a sharp breath. He knew he had to do something to stop the ravenous animals, but what could he do to cease three hungry hyenas, with no lions around to assist him? Banzai drew back his paw, preparing to strike, when a brisk, familiarly sharp tone hit his ears.

"Aren't you _impudent _hyenas supposed to be rotting on the bottom of the food chain?"

A low growl escaped Shenzi's lips, and Banzai lifted his head to see the blue-feathered bird descending from the tree branch, while Ed looked for the bird in the complete opposite direction. Shenzi kicked Ed in the shoulder, and he quickly turned his head in the correct direction.

Banzai began to chuckle, while Ed and Shenzi began tittering as well. "Well, well, well," Shenzi said, "looks like we have another guest to brunch."

"On the contrary," Zazu snorted, "you putrid hyenas are banned from the Pride Lands!" he informed them, as if they had no understanding of the fact. The hyenas began advancing on him slowly, the female hornbill quickly forgotten by the rapacious hyenas. The hornbill retracted her wing from the tree trunk, but did not tuck it away. Instead, she favored it at her side and let it fall limp, displaying her injury.

Banzai laughed again, Shenzi and Ed following suit. "What, here to do the king's dirty work, little bird?" he pestered Zazu, shoving him back with a nudge of his paw.

As Zazu began opening his beak to respond, a heart-stopping roar filled the air, causing all three hyenas to jump in surprise. Simba and Kovu, the king and the prince, came racing toward the hyenas. Simba lunged, pinning down Shenzi and Ed, while Kovu held down Banzai. Simba's eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the three low-lives.

"Shenzi, Banzai and Ed," Kovu said offhandedly, his black claws digging into Banzai's shoulders. "Should've known you three would be around," he said, finishing his sentence with a more menacing tone as he bared his teeth at the three trespassers.

"What? No," Shenzi said, waving her paw dismissively. "We were just... um... p-passing through-"

"Which is not allowed by you three," Simba interrupted, keeping a cool composure, his reddish mane drifting in the breeze. His claws pricked Ed and Shenzi's shoulders, causing them to squirm in discomfort. Simba lifted his head, his eyes landing on Zazu, who was still watching them in surprise, though his shoulders had relaxed, displaying his relief. Simba's eyes returned to the hyenas. He sighed heavily. "Go." He retracted his claws, stepping off of the two hyenas. With a nod to Kovu, the younger lion did the same, releasing Banzai.

The three hyenas got to their feet immediately. Banzai's eyes laid on Kovu for several moments, studying him. He couldn't help but realize his resemblance to Scar, including the claw mark that crossed over one of his eyes. His train of thought was broken as Kovu snarled at him, lunging forward to frighten him off. Banzai, Shenzi and Ed turned tail and fled.

"Follow them," Simba told Kovu, "and make sure they've gone. I'll meet you back at Pride Rock."

Kovu nodded briskly, his black mane flying behind him as he let out another viscous roar, digging his claws into the dry earth as he pursued the three hyenas. A screech was heard from Banzai as he saw the lion coming, and he quickly picked up his pace, Ed laughing hysterically as he fled with his companions.

After watching the four figures disappear, Simba turned to Zazu, who began babbling excitedly. "Thank goodness you arrived, Sire," the hornbill began. "This young bird and I would have surely been devoured by those mangy, flea-bitten carnivores."

Simba raised a brow at the mention of another bird, but Zazu had already flown to her side. The purple-feathered bird modestly dropped her eyes as the king and majordomo approached her. Her wing still fell limp at her side, but regardless, she hopped forward to thank the two.

"Thank you, Your Highness," the hornbill said gratefully. "Had you not arrived..." she trailed off, not wanting to complete her sentence.

Simba smiled warmly. "Luckily, Kovu and I were hunting nearby. I thought I heard a struggle of some sort." The lion unsheathed a single claw, snapping the vine that confined the lovely bird to the acacia tree. He set his paw back down, retracting his claw and looking to Zazu. "We should be going..." he began, hoping for the bird's name.

"Binti, Your Highness," the purple-feathered bird responded kindly.

"Binti," Simba said. "Zazu and I must return to Pride Rock." He spoke kindly, as usual, but there was a sense of urgency in his tone, suggesting that he had important things to do.

Binti was disappointed, but held herself well nonetheless. "I understand, Your Highness," she said warmly, bowing awkwardly, as she was still favoring her injured wing. "Again, I thank you for your graciousness." Simba dipped his head in farewell, and Zazu perched on the king's shoulder, watching Binti as Simba began to pad away. She held his gaze for several moments until she turned her head away, raising her wings in preparation to fly. As she began flapping her wings, Zazu noticed her face as it contorted with pain. She dropped her wing to her side, breathing heavily. She looked around warily, probably watching for predators. Hornbills tended to stay up high in the trees, where no ground hunters could catch them, but it seemed that Binti was out of luck.

"What are you looking at, Zazu?"

Simba's voice broke through the majordomo's thoughts. Flustered, Zazu turned himself around so he could acknowledge that the king had spoken to him. "Oh, nothing, Sire," Zazu said, tucking his wings away, hoping that he sounded nonchalant so the king wouldn't pry any further.

The king didn't buy the majordomo's fib for one moment. "Zazu, I hate to tell you this," Simba said, "but you're a terrible liar." A knowing smirk formed on the king's lips. "You're watching Binti." It wasn't a question.

"That is preposterous, Sire," Zazu said with a snort, regaining his composure.

Simba laughed goodnaturedly. "Hey, she's a nice bird, Zazu. Maybe you should... talk to her, or fly with her sometime."

"Well, that would be just lovely, Sire," Zazu said sarcastically, "if she were _able _to fly, that is."

"What are you talking about, Zazu?" Simba asked.

Zazu flew from Simba's shoulder and landed on the dry, dusty ground, his eyes watching the lovely young bird from a distance as she tried to fly, to no avail. Simba turned around to watch the bird, and finally, it seemed that she had given up. She stood on the ground, breathing heavily, her wing limp at her side.

"It would seem that the hyenas harmed her wing, Sire." Zazu watched the female hornbill worriedly. "She will not have any way of staying off the ground and avoiding predators."

Simba opened his jaws to reply, but when he saw Zazu's dismayed expression, he quickly clamped his mouth shut. Normally, Zazu would agree with him that this was the way of life- that injured or sickly animals would provide nutrition for others and strengthen their population. But there was something about this bird that seemed to have caught Zazu's interest, and his as well. She could be a useful animal to know in the future. Simba knew that the right decision in this instance would be to assist the young Binti and help her heal.

"I'll get Rafiki," Simba said after some time. "Bring Binti back to Pride Rock; we'll meet you there."

Zazu opened his beak to argue that he would be much more comfortable retrieving Rafiki, even though at times he resented the crazy old baboon, but Simba was already sprinting through the grasslands toward Rafiki's baobab tree. Zazu stifled a sigh as he flew towards Binti, landing several feet away from her and approaching her on foot.

"Binti." Zazu spoke with his usual authoritative air, but tried to offer sympathy. The purple-feathered bird raised her head to lock eyes with Zazu, and suddenly, she looked very embarrassed. "The king has ordered me to escort you to Pride Rock," he informed her. "I-"

"That will not be necessary, though I appreciate your concern, Zazu," Binti said quietly, though Zazu now noticed that her wing was a bit crooked and looked awkward. She put on quite a brave face, he had to admit, but she was simply being foolish if she thought she would be able to fare on her own.

"Binti, you are unable to fly," Zazu said. "It is the king's _order_ that I take you to Pride Rock so your wing can heal. You aren't safe out here if you cannot fly!" The blue-feathered bird had prepared a retort, but decided against being so harsh and kept quiet, waiting for her response.

The female hornbill lifted her injured wing to examine it briefly, then lowered it slowly, as the pain was too great. "Alright," she murmured, her voice barely a whisper. "Thank you."

"You're quite welcome, Miss Binti," Zazu responded warmly, glad that she had agreed to join him. The two birds made idle chat as they walked back to Pride Rock, Zazu offering to lift Binti's injured wing to temporarily lessen her pain. She politely declined his offer, but the two hornbills continued making conversation nonetheless, even sharing a laugh now and then. The warm African sun peered through the acacia trees, bathing Binti in a golden glow. Zazu's eyes watched the female bird intently as she spoke; she asked many questions about his life as majordomo, and he answered completely and honestly.

Although they had only spoken with each other for a short amount of time, Binti began to feel a bond forming between them, and the pain in her wing was temporarily put out of her mind. As Zazu began getting into life on Pride Rock, Binti became more and more excited to see where the king lived with his pride.

* * *

><p><em>You may never be able to fly again.<br>I am sorry._

Binti stood on the edge of Pride Rock looking over the grasslands. The sun was low in the sky, hanging directly before the young hornbill as it began to set, bathing the valley in an orange aura. Her injured wing was stuck to her side, being held in place carefully by several vines and leaves. Rafiki had been very kind to the young bird and was careful when treating her, but even his shaman powers could not heal her broken wing. He set the wing in hopes that it would heal correctly, but even then, she would have to practice flying all over again after the bone mended... _if _it mended. The female hornbill lowered her eyes from the sky, where other birds were soaring through the clouds... where she should be. Where she wanted to be.

The purple-feathered hornbill sighed. The king had been nice enough to offer her a place to stay on Pride Rock, and Zazu kindly agreed to bring her berries and other fruits for eating, since she would be unable to retrieve them herself. He said it would simply become part of his daily morning routine while he compiled his morning report for Simba and Kovu.

Binti felt a bit guilty, while deep down, she knew it wasn't her fault her wing had been broken. She felt guilty for causing trouble for Simba and Zazu and interfering with their daily lives. _Zazu and Simba should have left me._ The thought kept creeping into the back of her mind, and it nearly made her cringe every time. _If Zazu had not distracted those hyenas... I would have been killed. _For this, she was thankful and owed the hornbill her life, but she felt undeserving of the care she was being given.

The shaman, Rafiki, promised to do everything in his power to help her, and told her to come by his baobab tree later in the evening. She promised she would, though she had no idea how she would be able to get into the tree's higher branches. She said nothing on the issue and simply thanked him.

"Binti."

The female hornbill turned her head as her name was spoken. Zazu hopped over to her, folding his wings at his sides. "Simba has asked me to escort you to Rafiki," he informed her in his usual authoritative air. Glancing at the setting sun, he asked, "Are you ready to leave?"

"Actually, Zazu," Binti said, "I... I think I would like to go alone." Her eyes remained on the ground, waiting for his response.

Zazu paused for a moment. How to respond? Considering her condition, Binti would be unable to defend herself and unable to escape danger. But perhaps all she wanted to hear was that she was capable of doing things on her own, despite her wing.

The usually unflappable Zazu relented. "Fine," he huffed, turning away to hide the worry on his face. He had already become quite fond of the young Binti, as they had shared several laughs and held conversation well, and there was something about her... she was a bit reckless at times, unnecessarily, but she was a smart bird. She didn't pester him or others, and she often acted as if she were unimportant, unneeded. This was precisely why Zazu allowed her to leave on her own- perhaps she would think higher of herself if she managed to complete a task alone.

"Wait, Zazu."

Zazu stifled a sigh as he turned around to face Binti once more. "Yes, Madam?" he asked, an edge of annoyance in his tone.

If Binti had caught his discontent, she did not regard it. "Could you help me off of Pride Rock?" she asked quietly. "I'm afraid that I'll trip or fall..."

Zazu sympathetically obliged. "Of course, Miss Binti." It was a rational fear, without both of her wings to help balance her. If she tripped and landed on her wing, it could be further damaged beyond repair. Because there were many large rocks sloping downward against Pride Rock, it made it easier for the lions to climb up, and it would make a much safer way for the injured hornbill to climb down. "This way."

Irrevocably, Binti was nervous about her solo journey to Rafiki's, Zazu could tell, but she was willing to go on her own, and that was saying something about her will. As they stood atop the downward slope, Zazu offered Binti a wing to steady herself. A smile unfurled on her beak as she finally accepted his help, resting her only good wing on top of his.

When the two finally reached the bottom, relief washed over Binti, as the rest of her journey was level ground, according to Zazu.

"You had best be on your way if you are to return before dark, Madam," Zazu informed the lovely bird. "I will watch for your arrival. If you haven't returned by sunset, I will come find you myself."

"Very well, Zazu." Binti tucked her wing at her side. "I appreciate your help." She turned to walk on her way, seeing the baobab tree far away in the distance, almost obscured by the haze of the hot savanna. She knew it would be a long walk, but she would move as quickly as she could manage.

"Miss Binti," Zazu called after a few moments. There was a bit of hesitance in his voice, as if he were wary about Binti leaving on her own. Binti stifled a groan as she looked over her shoulder.

"Yes, Zazu?"

"Be careful," he said after a few moments. Binti smiled and nodded, continuing on her way.

Zazu watched Binti as she bravely walked, injured, into the savanna, away from Pride Rock. Rafiki was not far, but Zazu had a strange feeling about this. He thought for a moment. Was it the situation, or was it Binti herself? He couldn't be sure. She was brave, he had to admit, but was she being foolish by traveling alone? _Perhaps she wishes to prove something to herself, _he decided.

But what could she possibly be trying to prove?

* * *

><p><strong><span>AN: **_Hello, everyone! I'm sorry I haven't posted any chapters in so long, I was caught up in school, and I have a job now and a lot of other things are going on in my life. To make it up to you guys, I thought I would put a different aspect of this story into play, one that includes a bond between Zazu and Binti. __Does the name 'Binti' sound familiar to you? If you're a TLK fanatic, it might. Binti was the name of a female hornbill that was going to play a minor role in The Lion King: Simba's Pride as Zazu's wife. I love the name, and I was disappointed that she never got a spot in TLK, so I decided to bring her to life myself, with my own design and personality planned for her.  
>Also, I would like to ask that you please leave a review commenting on Zazu. I would like to know if I am keeping him well in character in the opinions of my readers. I have to admit, I tweaked his personality and responses here and there <em>only _because I figured he could/would change his attitude around someone he cares for. __Furthermore, I have already begun the next chapter, which will include another glimpse into the adventures of Timon, Pumbaa, and Adia. I will plan to update soon. _

_Again, my apologies for the long wait, and thank you for your patience!_

**~ ViolaViolette **


	5. Chapter 5: Thinking Too Loudly

**Chapter Five**

The Outlands were draped in an eerie cape of shadows and low light from the sun. The rugged cliffs stood tall against the slowly darkening sky, barely concealed behind a thick veil of fog. Patches of dead, yellowing grass surrounding the small cave seemed to glow orange in the sinking light source. Shattered bones and skeletal remains of long gone animals littered the ground, displaying the lack of life-sustainability the environment offered.

The dark-furred meerkat yawned quietly, opening her bright green eyes, expecting to be bathed in the warmth of the morning African sun. She was puzzled as she discovered that the sun had almost set; reds, oranges, yellows and even deep purple colors surrounded the sun and bathed the sapphire blue sky in a blanket of iridescent color. It would usually be a beautiful sight to be enjoyed by the female meerkat, but instead, she was overcome with a sense of urgency. They had overslept.

Adia's eyes snapped wide open in alarm. She knew they had all been exhausted from the great ordeal they had suffered yesterday, but they had lost so much time to return to her colony. Her brows furrowed in agitation as she leapt to her feet. "Get up!" Adia slid off of Pumbaa's back and nearly landed on Timon, who was curled up against the wall of the cave. She stumbled, tripping and landing on top of him. Timon let out a yell of surprise, his dark eyes snapping open, then narrowing into slits.

"Ya know, next time you want me to wake up, all ya have to do is ask!" he said irritably. Adia rolled her eyes and rolled off of the male meerkat, getting to her feet. Pumbaa had already woken up at the sound of the female meerkat's voice and stood groggily, blinking sleep from his dark eyes.

"We have to leave now," Adia said quickly, narrowing her eyes, her dark green irises becoming bright, glowing slits in the slowly darkening sky. She began walking toward the entrance of the cave, fingers clenched into fists at her sides, until she was stopped abruptly at the cave entrance.

Timon had caught her shoulder with his paw. "I'm sorry, do you wanna die?" Timon exclaimed. "Sunset is the prime time for guys like them," he pointed outside of the cave, "to eat guys like us!" As he finished his sentence, he gestured to himself, then to Adia, then returned his pointed finger to himself once more.

"Yes," Adia quipped, exasperated, "and there are more '_guys like_ _us'_ where I live, thinking the same thing, but they're more vulnerable than we are!"

"_They_ are stuck in the ground," Timon argued, pointing outside of the cave and getting up in Adia's face, trying to make his point, "while _we_ are stuck in the open!"

"You only care about yourself," the female meerkat hissed. She kept her green-eyed glare level as Timon's dark eyes bore into hers. Pumbaa sat close beside the quarreling meerkats, opening his mouth to speak after each accusation that they threw at each other, but one or the other always got a word in edgewise before he could speak instead. The sky continued to darken behind them, the cave slowly slipping into the shadows.

"I do not!" Timon argued, pointing a finger directly at her face. Adia narrowed her eyes, her fury rising by the second, her thoughts and fears colliding into each other inside her mind, causing new worries to arise in her head. For several moments, Adia's expression softened with concern for her colony's well-being. Timon felt a pang of guilt in his chest upon seeing this change in her, until Adia came back at him with another fierce response, her fury quickly returning.

"I don't know what I was thinking," Adia whispered, her voice barely audible, but still fueled with the flame of acrimony. She broke her icy stare from Timon's dark eyes, turning away and heading for the cave entrance. "I don't need you."

"What?" Timon's eyes widened in pure disbelief. After they had come all this way, she now decided that she was better off by herself?

"I said I don't need you," Adia hissed, her brows furrowing in determination. "I know my own way home; I'm better off alone. That's how I've lived my entire life." Her eyes lingered on the male meerkat for several more moments. His eyes were wide with pure skepticism, as if he believed her whole rant to be a joke. Beside him, Pumbaa watched Adia with round, doleful eyes. If Adia felt regret, she did not show it as she turned her back on the duo and promptly left the cave, venturing into the treacherous Outland territory.

"We have to stop her, Timon!" Pumbaa exclaimed, eyes searching for the female meerkat after she disappeared into the thick fog.

"What? Why?" The male meerkat crossed his arms over his chest. "She said she's better off alone, and so are we! We're goin' back to the Pride Lands!"

"But how will we get out of here?" Pumbaa questioned, his gaze continuing the rake the paling veil of fog before the cave entrance, searching for any sign of the female meerkat. "We don't know our way around the Outlands like she does," he added, concern for Adia's safety evident in his tone as it softened in uncertainty.

"Stop your sniveling," Timon snapped. Pumbaa's ears flattened against the back of his head in reaction to his accomplice's scolding words. "We'll find our own way outta here." The smart-mouthed meerkat spoke with confidence, but uneasiness soon consumed him as his dark eyes scanned the darkening expanse of unknown territory. "Well, we'll wait until morning," he said, mustering a half-hearted laugh in attempt to lighten the mood. "Heh... heh..." Pumbaa watched him with unwavering disapproval in his eyes, and Timon finally kept quiet. Pumbaa sighed quietly, as he knew it would be hard to change Timon's mind. The meerkat's pride was his biggest downfall in situations like these.

The witty meerkat's eyelids drooped as he watched the veil of fog slowly disappear, only to be replaced by a cloak of dark shadows as the sun continued to set behind the jagged cliffs. Adia was no where to be seen. Timon had expected that she had left the cave in order to seek solitude and space to breathe; he hadn't anticipated that she would completely leave them behind in search of her family. He supposed it was only right to expect the unexpected from the female meerkat; she made split decisions and was often unshakable.

"I've got a bad feeling about this, Timon." Pumbaa's gaze was trained on the scene before them, his eyelids drooping morosely as the remorseless landscape infiltrated his line of vision. Jagged mountains and cliffs, dead trees, tangled roots and patches of yellowing grasses littered the landscape lying before the duo. The sight of it filled Timon with a silent disgust for the wretched, unforgiving place.

"You and me both," Timon muttered. Guilt was beginning to settle on the meerkat's shoulders, seeming to weigh him down and strike fear into his heart, not that he would ever admit it to his trusted companion. He had upset Adia to the point that she left the safety of the shelter to return to her family, not offering even a simple farewell. Timon knew that it would be more dangerous to travel during the night, but Adia had made several good points. Her colony was isolated in a single spot, while they had the freedom to move... with several restrictions, of course, such as the relentless carnivores roaming the shadowed landscape. At this thought, Timon nearly cringed at the very probable possibility of Adia fending for herself against the ravenous carnivores.

* * *

><p>Adia's dark fur clung to the shadows, allowing her to easily blend in with the rocky cliffs and shaded caves she passed. Her sharp green eyes seemed to glow as darkness settled over the vast land. The meerkat's dark auburn fur atop her head was mussed and tousled, tangled limply with the sweat on her forehead. Her breaths were quick and shallow as fear and exhaustion consumed her.<p>

She knew the area like the back of her paw, especially at night, when she would usually be foraging for her colony without being seen in direct light by predators. The female meerkat flinched and abruptly turned her head side to side as a twig snapped loudly underneath her foot. Her shoulders relaxed after a few minutes had passed without a rouge lion's growl to signal her predestination with death.

After briefly collecting her thoughts and continuing down the rocky path, Adia's mind drifted back to the duo she had left behind. Any regret she had previously felt had completely vanished at the thought of Timon's inconsideration and blunt neglect to her colony's situation. Her eyes narrowed into slits at the very thought of the witty meerkat. In her anger-fueled argument with him, Adia still couldn't decide if Timon had been speaking rationally, or if he was simply concerned with his own safety. She suppressed a sigh. She had made a tough call by leaving them behind; they had lost an entire day's sunlight to travel by, and Adia intended to make up all time lost.

She froze once again as a dead shrub in her path quivered. She knew it was irrational to fear a lion hiding behind its branches, as the shrub was barely taller than her. It stirred once again, and this time, Adia noted the quiet breeze tugging at her fur, rousing the disheveled strands of deep auburn hair atop her head. She smoothed the fur out of her bright, keen eyes and continued forward. She clenched her teeth in pain as one of the plant's prickly tendrils snagged her fur, capturing several strands within its thorny branches. Making a distinct swerve around the shrub, she avoided further contact with its thorns.

The meerkat stopped for a moment to survey her surroundings, raking the landscape with her observant green eyes. She was startled to see two familiar shapes slinking through the shadows, their faces obscured by the dark cloak of night. Although their facial features were hidden in the blanket of night, their scruffy, misplaced fur and thin frames were easily recognizable.

Erevu and Ajabu continued slinking through the shadows, stopping every once and a while to take a look around. They were far enough away that they wouldn't be able to hear Adia walking through the dry, crinkly undergrowth and sneaking down the craggy path... or so she hoped. Erevu was walking with a slight limp in his step, but his focus and cruel nature had clearly not been corrupted by this setback.

After several moments of consideration, eyes locked on the two rouge lions, part of Adia began to feel the urge to return to Timon and Pumbaa and apologize. On the other hand, she knew she would never hear the end of it from Timon. She nearly groaned. She hated swallowing her pride, but she knew she couldn't leave the two alone in the Outlands. _If either of them got hurt... I would never be able to forgive myself, _Adia thought bitterly. Similar to Timon, though she was more aware of it than he was, Adia knew that her pride was her biggest downfall. _Hmmph. Something we actually have in common, _she thought with a roll of her eyes.

Adia suddenly found herself thinking about the smart-mouthed meerkat. He was different from her in many more ways than one. He lived a different life style than her, which gave him an almost _mysterious _edge. She had never met anyone that seemed so... carefree. Until, of course, they set foot into the Outlands. She had learned that Timon feared the unknown, even if he wouldn't admit it. She nearly laughed, but knew better. He would never admit to such a thing. Then her harsh, criticizing thoughts disappeared.

Timon, despite his often hard-headed and rather obstinate personality, cared for the ones around him. She knew that he sought safety living with Simba and his pride, but he also enjoyed the lion's friendship more than the protection he offered. The same went to his companion Pumbaa, who often contrasted in comparison to the male meerkat. Pumbaa's trust was easily gained and he easily formed bonds, which, in a way, made him slightly naïve. Despite this, Pumbaa would personally go out of his own way to assist someone in need. Adia sighed. She couldn't say the same about Timon, who was so uneasily swayed from his decisions.

There was one thing she simply could not place. _Why did she _care? Why did her thoughts keep returning to Timon?

Her thoughts were suddenly broken as she found herself careening down the rock face, landing heavily on her left shoulder. Her right paw immediately found its way to her injury, pressing against it as she bared her teeth in pain, struggling to withhold a gasp of pain. Too late, she realized, her blunder had already called the attention of the rouge lions. Erevu and Ajabu's eyes were locked on the small meerkat, and almost immediately, Ajabu was on top of her, Erevu limping close behind, his dull eyes full of hatred.

Adia let out a groan of pain as Ajabu's curved claws pricked her injured shoulders, relentlessly baring into her flesh. Her green eyes snapped shut, waiting for her life to be finished. Slowly, hesitantly, she opened her eyes once more. Ajabu's hot, foul breath wafted into her face as he exhaled, causing Adia to gag in disgust. Erevu was soon shoulder-to-shoulder with his counterpart, eyes narrowed at the female meerkat.

"You two bore me," Adia said matter-of-factly, putting on a rather brave face, considering her situation. "If you two are going to finish me off, get it over with already," she said flatly.

"Now, why would we do that?" sneered Ajabu, his tone bitterly sarcastic. His claws dug deeper into her shoulder, causing her to cry out in pain. This earned a chuckle from Erevu, despite his pain. "We need you alive."

The dark-furred meerkat raised a brow in inquiry. "What, for target practice?" she hissed sarcastically.

"Not exactly," Erevu murmured.

"Although, we would absolutely _love _watching _you _writhe in pain," Ajabu said with a maniacal grin, his eyes becoming dull with boredom, which disgusted Adia, "we have other orders."

_Orders? _Adia pondered. She knew these two followed Jela, a rather infamous Outsider, only unknown to those who dwelled in the Pridelands. He had a rather strange mind and was able to twist together rather devious plots. "What do you want?" she finally asked, hesitantly.

"Tell us where your little _friends _are hiding, and we'll be glad to let you go," Erevu taunted dauntlessly, his tone rather deceiving. After saying this, Ajabu retracted his claws ever so slightly, as if giving the female meerkat a brief taste of freedom.

Adia's mind became a whirl of confusion. What would Jela want with Timon and Pumbaa? They didn't have any affiliation with anyone important...

Then she remembered.

Timon and Pumbaa were escorts provided by _King Simba._ Jela wanted to get to Simba and those of royal blood. _Of course, _Adia thought. _Jela has always been plotting the downfall of the Pridelanders. _What better way to cut Simba down than through his two greatest companions?

She was snapped back into reality as Ajabu's claws dug back into her flesh. She clenched her teeth, her fingers curling into fists, as if this simple action would subside the pain. "Okay," she hissed, "I'll tell you where they are."

Immediately, Ajabu released his grip on the meerkat, and she let out a cry of pain as she fell back on her injured shoulder. She panted heavily in fear and as the pain continued to overtake her. Her eyes squeezed shut as she clutched her injury, clenching her teeth.

"Well?" Erevu said.

"Get on with it," Ajabu said. "Tell us."

Adia thought quickly. "They're... they're headed back to the Pridelands," she said, "towards the gorge." This wasn't exactly a lie, but not really the truth, either. She figured the two would return to the Pridelands by morning, and they would head toward the gorge to get back home. Considering they hadn't left yet, the lions would be nearly a day ahead of them, and Adia could give Timon and Pumbaa a warning and an alternate route.

"_Liar!" _

"What?!"

Soon Ajabu was on top of her again. "Those two were with you earlier, since you left the Pridelands. Why would they take you halfway home and go back?" He laughed. "They're escorts. They're around. _Tell us the truth._"

"I am!" Adia exclaimed. "We got into an argument, and they-"

She was swatted over by a single swipe of Ajabu's mighty paw. She landed at Erevu's feet; the injured lion looked down at her pitilessly, his eyes boring in hers.

"We'll take her to Jela," Ajabu said, "and keep her prisoner until she gives us the information we require." His eyes sparkled with disgusting pleasure. "She will tell us what we need to know. Jela can get information out of anyone," he hissed, striking her with her claws, "including you, Scrap."

Adia huddled underneath Erevu, who merely kicked her forward. He bent down and grasped her carelessly by the scruff of her neck so she couldn't escape. The female meerkat's green eyes widened in pain and fear as Ajabu led his accomplice toward Jela's hideout. Erevu followed him with a slight limp, which jerked Adia every once and a while. Her eyes slowly closed as she slipped into painful and fitful unconsciousness.


End file.
